One of the biggest challenges any online marketer faces is attracting people to their website when there are so many other distractions out there.

So what is the best way to get people to stop what they are doing (work, school, hanging out with friends on social media) and get them to click on your ecommerce site and, perhaps even more important, stay there and buy something?

The survey which questioned 4,234 online shoppers suggested that 64 per cent of respondents were likely to stop what they were doing and click on an email link sent by a retailer. This compared to just 10 per cent who claimed they were likely to be tempted to visit an online retailer by social media marketing or more traditional banner advertising.

The survey also suggested that more intrusive (some would suggest more aggressive) forms of advertising proved very unpopular with only seven per cent of those surveyed saying they clicked on pop-up adverts.

Of the 4,234 online shoppers surveyed, 42 per cent of respondents said they were most likely to be distracted by fashion retailers, followed by travel sites (28 per cent), and DVD and gaming websites (25 per cent).

A spokesperson for the price comparison engine said: “We’re surprised to see that direct email marketing is the most distracting to consumers over social media posts and advertisements, given the amount of marketing emails we all receive day-to-day and the dominance of social media particularly in our everyday lives. But it’s at least good news for marketers and communications teams running these websites.”

How are you wooing customers to your website? Share your comments below:

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Dec 30, 2014Written by John HayesMarketing Strategist and Contributing Author